---
name: "nutscan_init"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "nut"
version: "2.8.5-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/nutscan_init"
---

# nutscan\_init(3)

Initialize the nutscan library.

## NAME

nutscan\_init - Initialize the nutscan library.

## SYNOPSIS

```
        #include <nut-scan.h>
        void nutscan_init(void);
```

## DESCRIPTION

The **nutscan\_init()** function must be called at least once before using any other function of the nutscan library.

It updates the following global variables which can be used by nutscan library user to know which scan methods are available at run-time.

This depends on further libraries installed on the system:

• nutscan\_avail\_avahi = 1: AVAHI NUT scan is available

• nutscan\_avail\_ipmi = 1: IPMI scan is available

• nutscan\_avail\_nut = 1: "Old" NUT method is available

• nutscan\_avail\_nut\_simulation = 1: NUT simulation devices method is available

• nutscan\_avail\_snmp = 1: SNMP method is available

• nutscan\_avail\_usb = 1: USB method is available

• nutscan\_avail\_xml\_http = 1: XML HTTP method is available

Note that if a method is reported as unavailable by those variables, the call to the corresponding nutscan\_scan\_\* function will always return NULL.

## NOTES

Technically, the function is currently defined in *nutscan-init.h* file.

## SEE ALSO

[**nutscan\_init**(3)](/nutscan_init/3.md), [**nutscan\_scan\_usb**(3)](/nutscan_scan_usb/3.md), [**nutscan\_scan\_snmp**(3)](/nutscan_scan_snmp/3.md), [**nutscan\_scan\_xml\_http\_range**(3)](/nutscan_scan_xml_http_range/3.md), [**nutscan\_scan\_nut**(3)](/nutscan_scan_nut/3.md), [**nutscan\_scan\_nut\_simulation**(3)](/nutscan_scan_nut_simulation/3.md), [**nutscan\_scan\_avahi**(3)](/nutscan_scan_avahi/3.md), [**nutscan\_scan\_ipmi**(3)](/nutscan_scan_ipmi/3.md), [**nutscan\_display\_ups\_conf**(3)](/nutscan_display_ups_conf/3.md), [**nutscan\_display\_sanity\_check**(3)](/nutscan_display_sanity_check/3.md), [**nutscan\_display\_sanity\_check\_serial**(3)](/nutscan_display_sanity_check_serial/3.md), [**nutscan\_display\_ups\_conf\_with\_sanity\_check**(3)](/nutscan_display_ups_conf_with_sanity_check/3.md), [**nutscan\_display\_parsable**(3)](/nutscan_display_parsable/3.md), [**nutscan\_new\_device**(3)](/nutscan_new_device/3.md), [**nutscan\_free\_device**(3)](/nutscan_free_device/3.md), [**nutscan\_add\_option\_to\_device**(3)](/nutscan_add_option_to_device/3.md), [**nutscan\_add\_device\_to\_device**(3)](/nutscan_add_device_to_device/3.md)